2_New England Patriots1

St Louis Rams Gameday HQ

AFC EAST
PATRIOTS
2014 STRENGTHS:
• Elite quarterback, future hall of fame head coach,
stable offensive line
Patriots Offense
With Tom Brady at the helm, the New England Patriots are
always a threat to be the NFL’s best offense. They were runnerups
to the Denver Broncos in scoring with 27.8 points per game
last season, and this year’s team should be even better.
Brady passed for 4,342 yards and 25 touchdowns, but in
today’s pass-happy league those numbers ranked him just 6th and
11th, respectively. Brady also completed his lowest percentage of
passes since 2003.
But when you look deeper into the numbers, Brady is poised
for an even bigger year in 2014. His numbers were significantly
better during the second half of the season. Brady passed for 16
TDs through the final eight games and improved his completion
percentage by almost 9.5 percent.
A major reason for the team’s early offensive struggles were an
onslaught of injuries. TE Rob Gronkowski, WR Danny Amendola
and RB Shane Vereen all missed significant time in the first half
of the year. Gronkowski and RT Sebastian Vollmer failed to
finish the season.
Brady struggled with adjusting to the constant roster
shuffling, and the one receiver he could rely on, Julian Edelman,
came into the year with just 69 career receptions. He emerged as
the Patriot’s most consistent receiver, catching 105 balls for 1,056
yards and 6 TDs.
2014 WEAKNESSES:
• Prone to injuries in key positions
NEW ENGLAND
This season, Brady will be able to avoid that adjustment
period. All eleven starters, and several important backups, return.
Amendola and Gronkowski are the most important pieces of
the puzzle, but they’ve started just 23 games combined over the
last two seasons.
Stevan Ridley and Vereen both return in the backfield. Ridley
led the team in rushing yards last season, but he only amassed 772
yards. Vereen was third on the team in receptions with 4, even
though he only appeared in eight games.
Football games are often won in the trenches, and New
England will benefit from bringing back all five starting linemen
from last year’s team. Consistency is key because the offensive
line works best when it acts as a single unit. The Patriots
linemen have all spent their entire careers with the team,
except Dan Connolly who spent his rookie season with the
Jacksonville Jaguars.
Offensive Player to watch
Rob Gronkowski is a game changer from the tight end position.
He had one of the greatest seasons by a TE in NFL history
back in 2011 when he racked up 1,327 yards and led the league
with 17 touchdowns.
Gronk is a physical phenom at 6-6 and 265 lbs, but injuries
have plagued his career. He failed to contribute in the postseason
each of the last two seasons and was severely limited in Super
Bowl XLVI the prior year.
Teams on New England’s schedule must gameplan for
Gronkowski because he is a truly unique player. He has the size of
a lineman and the skills of a receiver. The Patriots are a completely
different team with him on the field and will rely on him to open
the field for Brady.
When Gronkowski is on the field, the Patriots offense is a
completely different animal. The team’s success rests on his ability
to stay healthy.
Patriots Defense
The Patriots are a very disciplined team that rotates between
3-4 and 4-3 base packages. Similar to their offense, New England
relies on strategy more than individual skill, but they are also
flush with talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Rob Gronkowski
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